Former NDP MLA Denise Peterson-Rafuse says she’s “beyond disappointed” in the response to allegations of aggressive and inappropriate behaviour made against Education Minister Zach Churchill.
“Our premier is trying to make light of all of this with all these excuses, saying that no one spoke to him,” she said.
Peterson-Rafuse is one of two former MLAs who wrote to House Speaker Kevin Murphy on Monday, detailing incidents with Churchill.
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She says after a heated question period in the spring of 2014, Churchill crossed the floor to where she was working at her desk. At the time, the Liberals were in power and Churchill was minister of natural resources.
“Suddenly I felt a yank on my shoulder. It was a strong yank,” she said.
“Something of that nature, if it was a tap on the shoulder or whatever, that wouldn’t have bothered me at all, but it was strong enough that it did unsettle me.”
She says the NDP caucus discussed what happened and she took it to interim leader Maureen MacDonald. MacDonald tells Global News she remembers calling Premier Stephen McNeil about the incident.
“Because there had been physical contact between a member and a member of my caucus, I decided I needed to take this up with the premier,” MacDonald said.
“I wouldn’t have called Stephen McNeil if there hadn’t been physical contact.’
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The premier has said repeatedly that he hasn’t had a conversation with anyone in opposition about a physical altercation involving a Liberal MLA.
“I talked to Maureen a number of times when she was interim leader, but at no time do I remember her talking to me about any physical altercation with any of my members,” McNeil said.
The complaints from Peterson-Rafuse and former NDP MLA Ramona Jennex follow a similar accusation by PC Leader Tim Houston on March 27.
“I was concerned once I heard the story about Tim Houston. Well, that’s not right. I was assured he was going to be talked to about that kind of behaviour,” Peterson-Rafuse said.
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“I didn’t even realize that Ramona (Jennex) had an incident until I heard it like everybody else.”
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Both women denied that there is any sort of co-ordination between them, as was suggested by Churchill in his initial response on Tuesday. Both say they contacted Houston upon hearing of his allegations, and that Houston did not tell them to write to the Speaker.
While speaking with reporters on Wednesday at Province House, McNeil acknowledged he has at times had to speak with some of his MLAs about their tone.
“Has there been times when people have talked to me about the enthusiasm of some of our members? For sure,” he said.
“We were in opposition, these were young guys, we came into government.”
“Well, (Churchill) wasn’t young,” Peterson-Rafuse said. “You know, he had how many years in, from 2009 — I guess the first occurrence with Ramona was 2012 — so come on. By that time he would know the ropes and know how to behave.
“What excuse is that?”
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Peterson-Rafuse wants the House harassment policy to be used to deal with Churchill’s alleged behaviour. She says it’s her understanding that it won’t apply to her or Jennex because they are not current MLAs.
“It was unsettling to me but what made it even more unsettling was the fact that, you know, this seems to be a pattern,” Peterson-Rafuse said.
“I know Minister Churchill really well, and I know that he can get quite angry in the House — I have done that myself. But I never went over and shook anybody or grabbed them by the shoulder.”
With files from Jeremy Keefe and Graeme Benjamin.
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